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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Corrections of Govinda Līlāmṛta, chapters 1-7

In cooperation with a Vaiṣṇava friend I found some more verses from Govinda Līlāmṛta (as published in my 2000 edition, with the cover shown here) that needed to be edited. They are listed below:

1.104 Original translation: "O lotus-faced girl! Look! The she-swan named Tuṇḍikerī, holding a lotus-stem which was left over by her husband and discarded by his associate in her beak, making sweet sounds while staring at Your lotus face. Thus she follows her husband."

1.104 Corrected translation: "O lotus-faced girl! Look! The she-swan named Tuṇḍikerī, holding a lotus-stem which was left over by her husband and discarded by him, in her beak, making sweet sounds while staring at Your lotus face. Thus she follows her husband."

The sahacara and svāmī are one and the same person. (Added April 20, 2009)

1.116 Original translation: The very expert sakhīs who nourish the Lord's pastimes and whose movements cannot be traced, returned to their individual homes just like the Vedas who, at the time of the universal dissolution, enter back into the Lord when Acyuta, having finished His enjoyment, goes to sleep in His own abode.

1.116 Corrected translation: The very expert sakhīs who nourish the Lord's pastimes, stealthily returned to their individual homes just like the Vedas who, at the time of the universal dissolution, stealthily enter back into the Lord when Acyuta, having finished His enjoyment, goes to sleep in His own abode.

2.12: Original translation: Mother Yaśodā then tried to awaken Hari who slept on His jewelled bed just as the personified Vedas awaken Lord Hari (Viṣṇu) when He sleeps on the jewelled bed of Ananta Śeṣa in a palace in the Milk ocean during the cosmic termination.

2.12 Corrected translation: Mother Yaśodā then tried to awaken Hari who slept on His jewelled bed just as the personified Vedas awaken Lord Hari (Viṣṇu) when He sleeps on Ananta Śeṣa, who is like His bed, illuminated by the jewels on his hoods, in a palace in the Milk ocean during the cosmic termination.

2.87 Original translation: Then she hung a golden Citrahaṁsa-gem inset with diamonds and sapphires, which is very solid in the middle, on Rādhikā's neck, bound a thread to the beak.

2.87 Corrected version: Then she hung a golden Citrahaṁsa (wonderful swan)-gem inset with diamonds and sapphires, which is very solid in the middle, on Rādhikā's neck, bound by a thread to the (swan’s) beak.

3.87 Original translation: O chaste lady! I made this sweet tasty, soft and sweet saṁyāva-porridge, which gives strength and nourishment, and kept it in this clay pot!

3.87 Corrected version: O chaste lady! I made this tasty, soft and sweet saṁyāva-porridge, which gives strength and nourishment, and kept it in this clay pot!
(sentenced contained twice the word ‘sweet’. )

3.94 Original translation: Look at all these chickpeas fried in ghī only and others that are filled with other ingredients, moistened with whey or tamarind.

3.94 Corrected version: Look at all these chickpeas fried in ghī only and others that are moistened with items like whey or tamarind. (chickpeas are not filled but moistened.)

3.100 In the Sanskrit baddha kuṣmāṇḍa becomes vṛddha kuṣmāṇḍa

Original translation: There are big pumpkin-pies with stems, arum, potatoes and sāgara-roots.

Corrected version: There are old pumpkin-pies with Kacu-roots, arum, potatoes and sāgara-roots. (‘big’ is ‘old’ instead, and the word ‘stems’ is unclear.)

4.7 Original translation: When Mukunda came home He showered the thirsty, dried up Cāṭaka-bird-like gopīs with the waterfall of His personal sweetness,

4.7 Corrected version: When Mukunda came home He showered the thirsty, dried up Cāṭaka-bird-like gopīs with the waterfall (torrent of rain) of His personal sweetness,
(‘torrent of rain’ applies to Cāṭaka bird and is also in the text as varṣair.)

4.21 Original version: “Mother took them to the dining platform, which was rinsed and covered by a sheet, surrounded by golden pots and clean chairs, where nice incense was burning.

4.21 Corrected version: “Mother took them to the dining platform, which was rinsed and covered by a sheet, surrounded by golden water-pots and clean chairs, where nice incense was burning. (Text says toya-pūrṇa bhṛṅgāra, water-filled pots)

4.42 Original version: On separate plates Dhaniṣṭhā brought savouries and other dishes prepared by Lalitā, and Yaśodā served them with great loving joy.

4.42 Corrected version: On separate plates Dhaniṣṭhā brought savouries and other dishes prepared by Lalitā, and Queen Yaśodā served them with great loving joy and affection.
(Yaśodā is mentioned as vrajeśvarī in the text and it is also said sa-sneha, with affection.)

4.60 Original version: They washed their mouths, rubbed their lotus-like hands with scented clay and brushed their teeth with soft toothpicks.

4.60 Corrected version: They washed their mouths, rubbed their lotus-like hands with scented clay and cleaned their teeth with soft toothpicks.
(Vṛndāvana Cakravartī says leṣikayā sūkṣma-kāṣṭhena, it is a thin wooden stick).

4.62 After their breakfast the cowherd boys take a hundred steps to their beds. Commentator Kṛṣṇapada dāsa Bābājī says it is healthy to take at least a hundred steps after a meal.
One should neither immediately take rest after a full meal nor perform very hard labor.
Commentator Vṛndāvana Cakravartī quotes Vaidya śāstra – bhuktvā pāda-śataṁ gatvā vara śayyāyāṁ viśrāmaḥ kāryaḥ: “After eating one should take 100 steps and take rest on a good bed”.

5.21 Original version: Just as the Gaṅgā flows towards the ocean, the Gaṅgā-like waves of Rādhā's glances were stunned from meeting Kṛṣṇa, the ocean of rasa.

5.21 Corrected version: Rādhā’s glances, that had been stunned by exchanging glances with Kṛṣṇa, now proceeded to rush like brilliant high Ganges-waves towards the rasa-ocean of Kṛṣṇa.

6.8 Original text: “…others showed their skills in balancing on a stick….”

7.2 Original text: Rādhākuṇḍa is beautifully surrounded by jewelled steps and jewelled bathing places. On these bathing places are jewelled platforms with their yards,….

7.2 Corrected version: Rādhākuṇḍa is beautifully surrounded by jewelled steps and jewelled ghāṭas (turrets supported by lean pillars). On these ghāṭas are jewelled platforms with their yards,

7.18 Original text: Swans, gallinules, cranes, Madgus, Cakravākas, geese and Lakṣmaṇā-birds since pleasant songs and parrots start reciting sweet poetry about Kṛṣṇa's romantic plays as they play with each other.